A common problem in the manufacturing and processing industry is that of binding two or more fiber bundles together. For a long time this problem has been solved by tying or knotting the free ends of the fiber bundles which are to be bound together in a manual or mechanical manner. A binding of fiber bundles produced by tying has the disadvantage for many purposes that an abrupt cross-sectional course or discontinuity of the fiber bundle is produced in the region of the binding due to the knot which has been made. During the further processing of the tied fiber bundle, for example, in weaving or knitting, this can have a detrimental effect and may cause the threads to break or may cause other disturbances during production. Knots may also be disturbing in textile products. Thus, suggestions have repeatedly been made to accomplish the binding of fibrous material in a manner other than by tying.
Such unknotted bindings are called splices. They are produced, for example, by the individual fibers of the fiber bundles to be bound together being thoroughly whirled and mixed by means of a jet of compressed air directed on them.
When a binding of this kind has been produced, loose ends, also called tails, of the fiber bundles bound together will be found on both sides of the binding. It is therefore, usually necessary to include another working step in order to remove, i.e., in particular to cut off, the loose ends or trails as closely as possible to the binding.
Even if this work is precisely carried out, an abrupt cross-sectional course or discontinuity of the bound fiber bundle is produced in the region of the binding at the cutting point or points. This abrupt cross-sectional course and the stumps of the loose ends or trails which have been very closely severed are often disturbing in the further processing of the tied fiber bundles. For example, they may cause disturbances in operation, such as thread breaks or stoppages in weaving or knitting.